A Late Devonian plant assemblage from the Avon Gorge, west England: taxonomic, phylogenetic and stratigraphic implications

Plant fossils from the Avon Gorge originally identified as Rhacophyton sp. have been subjected to a detailed morphological study incorporating examination of both previously known material and new specimens. A single taxon, Chlidanophylon dublinensis, dominates the assemblage accounting for over 90% of the fossils encountered. Other plant organs identified include dispersed acupulate preovules and five less frequently occurring organs of which four are of unknown affinities; the leaf genus Platyphyllum, Alicomopleris sp., two kinds of novel and frequendy dichotomizing branching structures and the spermatophyte synangium Telangiopsis. Possible whole plant relationships between the components of the fossil assemblage are discussed and the stratigraphic, systematic and evolutionary position of the component taxa are considered.     

From forest to plantation? Obscure articles reveal alternative host plants for the coffee berry borer,Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is the most devastating insect pest of coffee throughout the world. The insect is endemic to Africa but can now be found throughout nearly all coffee‐producing countries. One area of basic biology of the insect that remains unresolved is that of its alternative host plants, i.e. which fruits of plants, other than coffee, can the insect survive and reproduce in. An in‐depth survey of the literature revealed an article by Schedl listing 21 genera in 13 families in which the insect was collected, mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This overlooked reference, together with information provided in other early articles, suggests that H. hampei is polyphagous, and could provide, if confirmed in the field, critical information on the evolution of this insect's diet, ecology and host range. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, ??, ??–??.     

Palm snorkelling: leaf bases as aeration structures in the mangrove palm (Nypa fruticans)

Mangrove species have evolved specialized structures, such as pneumatophores, to supply oxygen to the roots, but, in Nypa fruticans, the only mangrove palm, no such structure has been reported. This study aimed to determine the adaptations of N. fruticans to the mangal habitat with special reference to the air‐supplying structure. Following senescence, the rachis is abscised at the zone of junction with the leaf base. Simultaneously, lenticels develop so that, when abscission is completed, a network of mature lenticels covers the leaf base. Expansigenous aerenchyma with increasing porosity towards the stem junction occurs in the leaf base. The first two root branching orders present a subero‐lignified rhizodermis and exodermis, and the cortex consists of schizo‐lysigenous aerenchyma with wide lacuna, limiting radial oxygen loss and facilitating longitudinal oxygen transport to living tissues. Lifespan estimation suggests that leaf bases can live for up to 4 years following abscission, ensuring the persistence of aeration structures. This study provides structural evidence indicating that N. fruticans has evolved a unique type of air‐supplying structure in the mangal habitat. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 174 , 257–270.     

A phylogenetic analysis of the monogenomic Triticeae (Poaceae) based on morphology

A cladistic analysis, primarily based on morphology, is presented from 40 diploid taxa representing the 24 monogenomic genera of the Triticeae. General problems related to the treatment of hybrids and supposedly allopolyploid heterogenomic taxa are highlighted. Special emphasis is given to taxa not traditionally included in Aegilops s.J. Most of the 33 characters used in the analysis are coded as binary. The only four multistate characters in the matrix are treated as unordered. Three diploid species of Bromus are used as outgroup. The number of equally parsimonious trees found is very large (approx. 170000; length = 107, ci = 0.36, ri = 0.75) and the strict consensus tree has an expectedly low level of resolution. However, most of the equally parsimonious trees owe their existence to an unresolved Aegilops clade. If this clade is replaced by its hypothetical ancestor, the number of equally parsimonious trees drops dramatically (48; length = 78, ci = 0.45, ri = 0.76). When trees for which more highly resolved compatible trees exist are excluded, only two trees remain. Bremer support is used as a measure of branch support. The trees based on morphology and on molecular data are largely incongruent.     

Three new species of Mitrephora (Annonaceae) from Sabah, Malaysia

Three new species of Mitrephora (Blume) Hook. f. & Thomson, M. clemensiorum, M. vittata and M. woodii , are described from Sabah, Malaysia. Mitrephora clemensiorum is related to M. korthalsiana Miq., but is distinguished by having long inflorescences, long flowering and fruiting pedicels, and fruits with sessile monocarps. Mitrephora vittata is related to M. reflexa Merr., but has lanceolate, subcoriaceous leaves, and densely pubescent inflorescence rachides, flowering pedicels and bracts. Mitrephora woodii is similar to M. heyneana (Hook. f. & Thomson) Thwaites, but has smaller flowers and fruits with sessile monocarps     

A monograph of the betel nut palms (Areca: Arecaceae) of East Malesia

The palm genus Areca is widespread in tropical Asia and includes the economically important betel nut palm, A. catechu. The genus has three centres of high species diversity: the Sunda Region, the Philippines and East Malesia (to the east of Wallace's line). The taxonomy of the genus in East Malesia has been neglected. Prior to this study, 19 species were accepted for this area, all but one endemic, but their limits and differences were not understood. Here, we provide a taxonomic monograph of East Malesian Areca spp., based on an extensive study of the genus in herbaria and in the field. We recognize six species of Areca in East Malesia, including the widespread cultivated A. catechu. Five wild species are accepted, namely A. macrocalyx, A. mandacanii, A. novohibernica, A. oxycarpa and A. vestiaria. We place 12 of the previously accepted species into synonymy, and provide additional new synonymy in A. catechu. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 168 , 147–173.     

A molecular phylogeny of the temperate Gondwanan family Pettalidae (Arachnida,Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) and the limits of taxonomic sampling

We evaluate the phylogenetic and biogeographical relationships of the members of the family Pettalidae (Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi), a textbook example of an ancient temperate Gondwanan taxon, by means of DNA sequence data from four markers. Taxon sampling is optimized to cover more than 70% of the described species in the family, with 117 ingroup specimens included in the analyses. The data were submitted to diverse analytical treatments, including static and dynamic homology, untrimmed and trimmed alignments, and a variety of optimality criteria including parsimony and maximum‐likelihood (traditional search and Bayesian). All analyses found strong support for the monophyly of the family Pettalidae and of all its genera, with the exception of Speleosiro, which is nested within Purcellia. However, the relationships among genera are poorly resolved, with the exceptions of a first split between the South African genus Parapurcellia and the remaining species, and, less supported, a possible relationship between Chileogovea and the other South African genus Purcellia. The diversification of most genera is Mesozoic, and of the three New Zealand genera, two show evidence of constant diversification through time, contradicting scenarios of total submersion of New Zealand during the Oligocene drowning episode. The genera Karripurcellia from Western Australia and Neopurcellia from the Australian plate of New Zealand show a pattern typical of relicts, with ancient origin, depauperate extant diversity and recent diversification. The following taxonomic actions are taken: Milipurcellia Karaman, 2012 is synonymized with Karripurcellia Giribet, 2003 syn. nov. ; Speleosiro Lawrence, 1931 is synonymised with Purcellia Hansen & Sørensen, 1904 syn. nov . The following new combinations are proposed: Parapurcellia transvaalica (Lawrence, 1963) comb. nov. ; Purcellia argasiformis (Lawrence, 1931) comb. nov .     

The questionable affinities of Corsia (Corsiaceae): evidence from floral anatomy and pollen morphology

The floral anatomy and pollen morphology of Corsia are described in the context of its systematic relationships. Flowers of Corsia are epigynous, lack septal nectaries and possess a large labellum formed from the outer median tepal (sepal). The labellum is highly vascularized and has a prominent outgrowth (callus) that is apparently nectiiferous in some species of section Sessilis , although not in section Unguiculatis . The six fertile stamens are proximally fused to the style, forming a gynostemium. This combination of labellum and gynostemium is otherwise found only in Orchidaceae (Asparagales), but the orchid labellum is formed from the opposite median inner tepal, and is therefore not homologous with that of Corsia . The three genera of Corsiaceae ( Corsia , Arachnitis and Corsiopsis ) are markedly different in some respects; e.g. only Corsia has a gynostemium. However, they share a unique synapomorphy in the presence of a labellum formed from the outer median tepal (sepal). Corsia and Arachnitis are also similar in pollen sexine sculpturing. Among other putative relatives, the range of morphological similarities between Corsia and Campynemataceae (Liliales) tends to support recent preliminary inferences from molecular data that they are closely related, but a relationship with Thismia (Dioscoreales) cannot be discounted. Both Campynemataceae and Thismia share similarities with Corsia , including epigyny, absence of septal nectaries, presence of tepal nectaries, and pollen morphology. © 2002 Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 138 , 315–324.     

Patterns of local and regional genetic structuring in the meadow grasshopper,Chorthippus parallelus (Orthoptera: Acrididae), in Central Germany revealed using microsatellite markers

The meadow grasshopper, Chorthippus parallelus (Zetterstedt), is common and widespread in Central Europe, with a low dispersal range per generation. A population study in Central Germany (Frankenwald and Thüringer Schiefergebirge) showed strong interpopulation differences in abundance and individual fitness. We examined genetic variability using microsatellite markers within and between 22 populations in a short‐ to long‐distance sampling (19 populations, Frankenwald, Schiefergebirge, as well as a southern transect), and in the Erzgebirge region (three populations), with the latter aiming to check for effects as a result of historical forest cover. Of the 671 C. parallelus captured, none was macropterous (functionally winged). All populations showed a high level of expected and observed heterozygosity (mean 0.80–0.90 and 0.60–0.75, respectively), whereas there was evidence of inbreeding (F_IS values all positive). Allelic richness for all locus–population combinations was high (mean 9.3–11.2), whereas alleles per locus ranged from 15–62. At a local level, genic and genotypic differences were significant. Pairwise F_ST values were in the range 0.00–0.04, indicating little interpopulation genetic differentiation. Similarly, the calculated gene flow was very high, based on the respective F_ST (19.5) and using private alleles (7.7). A Neighbour‐joining tree using Nei's D_A and principal coordinate analysis separated two populations that were collected in the Erzgebirge region. Populations from this region may have escaped the effects of the historical forest cover. The visualization of the spatial arrangement of genotypes revealed one geographical barrier to gene flow in the short‐distance sampling. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 103 , 875–890.